Zhanglaohan market

The 28th of the twelfth lunar month is the market in Liulin Town, the last market before the Chinese New Year and the busiest day in the town.

On this day, Zhang Laohan got up early, but he didn't sleep well all night. He lay on the kang, tossing and turning like a pancake, waiting for the cock to crow.

At dawn, he got up and ran into the stable. He added some feed to the old horse, then took out the can of pipe and squatted on the wall to smoke. The cold wind poured in from the gate of the stable, and Zhang Laohan couldn't help but wrap himself in a cotton-padded jacket. He smoked for a while, stood up, touched the mane of the old horse and mumbled something that only he and the old horse could understand. He is as happy as a child.

Today, he is going to the market in town. The carriage is his means of transportation. He must go to this market. He must buy some necessities.

His wife didn't sleep well either, and I don't know if she couldn't sleep because she didn't hear the snoring of Zhang Laohan, or she was worried. She can hear clearly when the wall clock strikes the time.

The old woman made breakfast neatly and went to the yard to say hello to Zhang Laohan: "Grandpa, you have to eat no matter how anxious you are."

With a smile on her face, the old woman casually raised several handfuls of corn kernels into the yard. Like soldiers in the trenches, the chickens in the henhouse rushed out, wriggled around, pecked on the ground with their heads down, and kept cooing.

"Come, come!" Zhang Laohan knocked on the pot of his pipe and walked out of the stable. He looked at the old woman and smiled. "Look at you, you are a year old, and you still look like a kannika nimtragol. You just can't hold anything in your heart. How can you be so stupid! "

"You return not bashful say me? When you look in the mirror, the wrinkles on your face are missing for several miles, just like a young man! " The old woman smiled while covering her mouth. They talked and laughed all their lives. You hurt me, I Doby you, you are evenly matched. There has never been a distinction between high and low.

The old couple talked and laughed for a while and entered the house in tandem.

Zhang Laohan put his slippers on the kang and sat down on the warm kang. He reached out and pressed the remote control, and the local anti-Japanese drama suddenly jumped out.

"Quick, look at the news of Qilu Taiwan ..." The old woman put her ass on the edge of the kang, moved in and greeted Zhang Laohan.

Immediately, two hosts dressed in festive costumes appeared on the TV screen. They are all smiles, helping each other, and slowly broadcasting the news: "Today is the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, and the Spring Festival is approaching day by day. As the saying goes, lose face. According to Shandong custom, today is the day when every household steamed cakes and lotus seeds. As soon as the cake and lotus seeds are cooked, a year's blessing and good luck will follow. We wish all the audience all the best in the Year of the Pig. Everything is Peggy! "

"Today, the provincial capital ushered in a small climax of going home to visit relatives. According to the latest news from the reporter in front, the highways leading to counties and cities in the provincial capital are unblocked, and the return vehicles are passing through Jinan toll station in an orderly manner, leaving the provincial capital and heading for all parts of the country ... "

Watching the news, the old couple were elated. My son said on the phone that his family of three left the provincial capital early this morning and arrived home about 1 1. My son and daughter-in-law are usually busy at work. Little grandson primary school 1 grade. They seldom go home for a year. The old couple miss their son and daughter-in-law and their grandson. The old couple looked forward to the stars and the moon, and finally looked forward to the Spring Festival. The six or seven days of the Spring Festival are precious to the old couple.

People are happy when they are happy. Zhang Laohan and the old woman looked at each other and smiled at each other. Two pairs of chopsticks danced, and two full dishes soon bottomed out.

After breakfast, Zhang Laohan pushed his rice bowl and arranged tasks while smoking a cigarette: "Old woman, hurry up this morning. My sons will be back before lunch. We split up. I'm going to a party in town, do some shopping and then go back. You can serve the noodles at home, kill a chicken by the way, then clean up the carp and prepare some good dishes for lunch. " The old woman got up and got off the kang, unhurriedly cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks, and readily promised.

I don't know whether it was smoked or because of joy. Zhang Laohan's eyes blinked for a while, and two drops of water swirled inside. Lao Zhangman murmured, "The army is back, and I still miss him. Last Spring Festival, his head was as tall as the cherry tree in front of the door. Now the cherry trees are waist-high. I don't know how high the army is ... "

The old woman is laughing in the kitchen, laughing like an old hen who just laid eggs.

After smoking for a while, Zhang Laohan got off the kang. He took the horse out, put it in the carriage and went out.

At the head of the village, Zhang Laohan was stopped by three women who went to the market in the same village. Aunt Li smiled like a flower, revealing two big black teeth: "Brother Wu, go to the market?" Take us there ... "

Aunt Zhou also echoed: "Yes, yes, you see it's very cold. The north wind roared and only poured into the collar of the neck. My family is only interested in playing mahjong, and I have to buy him a catty of pig's head in such a cold day. I don't think he belongs to a pig, but to a wolf who only knows how to eat meat ... "

Junko's daughter-in-law grinned and just laughed.

Zhang Laohan waved and the three women climbed into the carriage with familiarity.

Where there are women, there is no shortage of excitement. They chattered all the way.

Aunt Li said, "Brother Wu, you and your sister-in-law are really amazing. You gave birth to such a good son as Zhibang. He is the first college student and the first graduate student in our village. There is smoke in your ancestral grave. He made a face at you! Because you and your sister-in-law taught you well. It's not like my enemy. Can't do anything, can't eat the rest. Since his divorce, I still can't find a daughter-in-law, and my hair is white ... "

Zhang Laohan has heard a lot of this kind of flattery, but he can't help laughing every time he hears it. At this time, he could only casually promise: "Your sister-in-law and I are both mud legs. Where can I teach Zhibang? It's all his own ambition. Is his own ambition ... "

Junko's daughter-in-law interjected: "I met Zhibang's daughter-in-law last Spring Festival. It looks so beautiful. Not to mention our village, even our town may not be able to find a second beauty. Zhibang is really blessed! "

Aunt Zhou began to embellish: "Zhibang's daughter-in-law is not only good-looking, but also has a good job. Heard that she is a junior high school teacher in the provincial capital, the annual salary is this number ... "She said, and held out two fingers, and the other two eyes flashed, lisping.

Their topic soon turned to Zhang Laohan's grandson, and Aunt Li's praise made her open her mouth: "Brother Wu, why are you so blessed?" Your son is promising, but his wife has no choice. Even his grandchildren are enviable. The child is so sensible that his mouth is as sweet as honey. I met him on the roadside that day, and his grandmother called me short, which made me feel very comfortable, unlike me. "

"Yes, the child looks good-looking, heavy, delicate skin, just like her mother. She must be small fresh meat when she grows up, oh, yes, small fresh meat! "

……

A car full of people talking and laughing soon arrived at the market.

Zhang Laohan stopped the carriage, and several people parted ways and walked to the market. Soon they were submerged in the sea of people.

Because the Spring Festival is coming, the market opened early and many people came. Obviously, the stalls in the market have been occupied, and the roads outside the market have also been occupied by the army of stalls. Most of those who set up stalls outside the market sell couplets and spring stickers, red couplets and golden wishes, which means auspicious printed matter can be seen everywhere. People gathered around these booths to pick and choose, and the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival was rendered to the extreme, happy and joyful.

The entrance to the market is crowded with people coming to the market. Most people go in, but many people go out. There is a sea of people here, and people are next to each other. Such a scene is rare in rural areas. There are fruit stalls on both sides of the entrance. Local red Fuji apples, crisp pears, hawthorn and kiwifruit can be seen everywhere, and there are also many foreign fruits, such as bananas, oranges, watermelons and red grapes. Now that people in rural areas are well-off, it is no longer time to be short of clothes and food. It is time to scrimp and save. During the Spring Festival, every household has a big meal of fish and meat, and people who eat it feel uncomfortable. Who is not going to order some fruit to get greasy?

Zhang Laohan followed the crowd into the market. This is a big rectangular square, which is divided into vegetable area, meat area, clothing area and hardware grocery area according to different locations. There is a sea of people here, men and women, old and young, carrying baskets and pockets, strolling around the market, and stopping to interrogate when they meet something they like. The market is full of people, and the shouts of sellers, the bargaining sounds of buyers and the voices of visiting relatives and friends at will are intertwined, making this usually deserted square suddenly become a lively ocean.

According to past experience, the closer the Spring Festival is, the more expensive it is. Zhang Laohan knows this truth. He bought almost everything he needed for the Spring Festival in the market on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. Today, he came to the market to buy some special items.

The clothing area is closest to the market gate, and colorful down jackets and sweaters are hung on the shelves. Older girls and kannika nimtragol, middle-aged women and old ladies are around each clothing booth, gesturing as if those clothes are free. The loud voice peculiar to women echoed in that area, which was a headache. Zhang Laohan quickly passed through the clothing area and came to the meat area.

All kinds of fresh meat are sold here. Selling meat in rural areas is different from selling meat in cities. There is hardly any frozen meat here. Most of them are sold now, and many fresh meats are still steaming! Zhang Laohan asked all the way, and the market for all kinds of meat gradually became clear. On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, pork chops are 20 Jin and beef is 32 Jin. Today, the price of pork chops is 25 kg, and the price of beef is outrageous, asking for 40 kg. He secretly rejoiced at his wise choice.

He stayed in the food section for a long time, and it was also crowded with people. He wants to buy good and cheap goods, not only to shop around, but also to have a good figure.

When he squeezed out of the crowd in the market, he had a few more things in his hand.

A few strings of shiny candied haws are the most striking, and they are for the troops. Last year, a village sang a big play, and someone was selling candied haws. The little guy ate a string after string, which made people laugh and cry and felt distressed. Zhang Laohan secretly wrote it down. Today, he bought some strings specially to surprise the army.

He also bought five Jin of persimmon cakes with frost, which are local and his son's favorite. Zhibang likes to eat persimmons since childhood. Zhang Laohan's family used to plant a persimmon tree. When the persimmon ripens in autumn, Zhibang will stand under the persimmon tree and look up eagerly. Whenever the persimmon is ripe, Zhang Laohan will pick it and give it to Xiao Zhi State, watching him gobble it up. Since Zhibang left home, Zhang Laohan had to sun those persimmons into persimmon cakes and leave them for his son to eat during the Spring Festival. A few years ago in winter, a cold current froze persimmon trees to death, and I couldn't eat my own persimmons. Every year, Zhang Laohan buys persimmon with the best appearance and taste from the market and takes it back to the provincial capital for his son to eat. This is his heart for his son.

In addition, Zhang Laohan specially bought a lot of silkworm chrysalis.

Silkworm pupa is a specialty of local mountainous areas, with high protein and low fat, which is very good for health, especially suitable for middle-aged and elderly people. Zhang Laohan bought silkworm chrysalis for a purpose. His daughter-in-law was not interested in silkworm chrysalis when she came to see it at home, but she liked it very much in recent years. Every time this dish is served, her daughter-in-law eats the most. Zhang Laohan wants to buy more this year, some of which will be taken home by his wife to eat more rice, and some of which will be given to her in-laws to taste. Although the son and daughter-in-law are free to fall in love, the daughter-in-law was born in the provincial capital, and her status is naturally noble. It is inevitable that a son can combine with his wife. In recent years, in-laws have not walked much. Zhang Laohan is always looking for opportunities to pull into each other's distance. Maybe it's a good choice to send some local specialties. Silkworm pupae with their own steamed food will definitely be liked by in-laws.

Zhang Laohan put all these things on the carriage, turned around and hurried home.

The northwest wind blows harder all the way, but Zhang Laohan's heart is warm, and his little grandson's little face and smile seem to be beating in front of him. His son and daughter-in-law will also shout "Dad" to make him happy for several days. The children will go home soon, and reunion is just around the corner. He should go home at once and prepare for the reunion. This kind of reunion is only once or twice a year. He especially cherishes it. He can meet the children face to face and say a few words from the heart. In his opinion, this is thousands of times better than the image he saw in the video.

Zhang Laohan raised his whip and waved it hard in the air, making a few crisp noises. The old horse seems to understand his master's mood. After a Ma Si, the carriage sped forward and ran in the direction of the village.